Learn how to vape CBD correctly
Vaping is one of the quickest ways to get those yummy, beneficial cannabinoids into your bloodstream, but if you’re relatively new to vaping, then you may not realize just how much there is to learn!
Whether you want to vape CBD flower, oil, or concentrates, there are hundreds of devices on the market that can help you do it. In this article, we’re going to concentrate on the nuances of how to vape CBD oil specifically. So stick with us as we explain everything you need to know, from how to use CBD in a vape pen to refilling a reusable vape pen.
Not all CBD oil is for vaping
The first thing you need to know about vaping CBD oil is that not CBD oil is meant for vaping. In fact, if the product doesn’t explicitly say that it’s intended for vaping purposes, then you 100% shouldn’t be vaping it.
The main types of CBD oil you’re likely to come across are tincture oils and vape oils. They contain the same active ingredients but very different carrier solutions that make them suitable for different uses.
What is CBD tincture oil?
The most common type of CBD oil is tincture oil. Tincture oils typically contain a CBD extract and a carrier oil of some sort, such as MCT coconut oil or hemp seed oil. CBD oils like this are designed for oral or sublingual consumption.
A few drops can be added to food or drinks or directly onto the tongue to be swallowed. Or a few drops may be placed under the tongue and held there for a few minutes, so that the CBD has a chance to enter the bloodstream more quickly, through thousands of capillaries located under your tongue.
You cannot vape CBD tincture oils like this as it will produce nasty and potentially harmful smoke as the product is not meant to be heated or vaped.
What is CBD vape oil?
CBD vape oil is also known as CBD vape juice or e-liquid. In the case of CBD vape oil, a CBD extract is mixed with a thinning agent so that it can be vaporized more easily. Popular thinning agents used in vapes include vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol, although many companies are also starting to use hemp terpenes for a more natural approach.
CBD vape oil should not be swallowed or consumed orally as it will not only taste terrible, but it could also make you sick as it is not intended for oral consumption.
Choosing the right CBD vape
There are many different ways you can vape CBD oil, so long as it’s the right type of CBD oil for vaping! These are some of the most common CBD oil vapes you’re likely to come across.
Disposable CBD Vape Pen
The easiest and quickest way to start vaping CBD oil is to buy a disposable CBD vape pen. This option isn’t the kindest to the environment, but it is a relatively inexpensive way to start vaping sooner rather than later as it comes with everything you need to get going.
A disposable vape pen is typically a fairly small and compact device that is ready to go, straight from the box. It comes pre-charged and pre-filled with CBD vape oil, so all you need to do is start puffing. Disposable vapes are usually good for a few hundred puffs before they run out and need to be thrown away.
Disposable CBD oil cart & rechargeable battery
Disposable CBD oil carts are slim, cylindrical cartridges that come filled with CBD vape oil and should be thrown away when they’re empty. The majority of CBD oil cartridges you come across will be compatible with a 510 thread battery, CCELL battery, or JUUL battery.
Make sure you’re buying the right cartridge (or JUUL pod) that fits your vape pen battery (or vice versa). The battery is the section you will be charging time and time again, so perhaps choose that part of your kit first, before selecting your cartridges to match.
Just be aware that 510 cartridges (to fit 510 threaded batteries) are more common and are usually more affordable than the other options.
A 510 cart usually holds either 0.5ml or 1ml of CBD vape oil and buying a disposable cartridge to use with a rechargeable battery is the second easiest way to start vaping CBD oil.
Refillable vape pen & bottle of CBD vape oil
The final option for vaping CBD oil is often more favorable to long-term or heavy vapers due to its affordability and customization options.
Refillable vape pens are reusable in every sense. The battery is rechargeable and the vape tank is refillable with a CBD vape juice of your choice. Over time they will require some basic maintenance, such as cleaning and coil replacements, but this option is kinder to the environment, as well as your wallet.
Refillable CBD vape pens often produce more vapor and flavor than disposables, because the build quality is generally much higher in a device that’s designed to be reused time and time again, as opposed to one that’s built for single use only.
Refillable vape pens also open you up to a whole world of vape cart customization, whereby you can buy specific cannabinoid concentrates (CBD, CBC, CBG, etc) and mix them to form your very own tailor-made cannabinoid formulas.
How to vape CBD oil
If you want to know how to vape CBD e-juice, then we can teach you how. Just find your vaping device or set up you have from the list below and follow the instructions.
How to use a disposable CBD vape pen
As mentioned above, this is the easiest way to vape CBD oil as everything should be ready to go straight out of the box. They’re also draw activated, so you don’t have to worry about pressing any buttons, ever.
- Remove the disposable vape pen from the box or packaging
- Start puffing!
NB. Sometimes these devices are rechargeable to ensure they last the entire cartridge, but should be thrown away as soon as the cart is empty.
Disposable CBD oil cart & rechargeable battery
In order to vape CBD oil with a disposable CBD vape cart and rechargeable battery, follow these five easy steps:
- Remove the cart and battery from packaging
- Make sure the battery is charged
- Attach the disposable vape cartridge to the battery
- If your battery has a power button, click it five times to power the device on
- Put your mouth on the mouthpiece and hold down the button while inhaling
NB. If your vape battery has temperature controls, please refer to our other article for the best temperatures for vaping CBD oil.
Refillable vape pen & bottle of CBD vape oil
If you have a refillable vape pen, then follow these instructions:
- Make sure that your vaping device is charged
- Fill your vape tank with CBD vape oil, e-liquid, or vape liquid
- Prime your coil for optimal performance (see below)
- Click the power button five times to power the device on
- Dial in your preferred airflow setting (higher airflow means cooler vapor but less flavor)
- Press the button while inhaling
NB. When using this vaping set up you’ll also need to clean your vape tank regularly
Priming your coil (how to use CBD oil in a vape pen)
When using a refillable vape pen, the most important thing to remember, when refilling it with CBD vape oil, is to prime the coil properly. This requires both a little precision and a little patience.
Make sure that the wick is completely covered with the vape juice and then wait for five to ten minutes to ensure that it’s completely saturated before attempting to take a hit, otherwise you run the risk of burning your wick and needing a replacement coil.
How to mix CBD oil with vape juice
Mixing CBD oil with vape juice is pretty straightforward, but you should avoid adding CBD to any e-liquids that contain nicotine. Mixing the two can make for an extremely unpleasant taste and it’s also thought that nicotine may block some of the effects of CBD.
You can either add a couple of drops of CBD oil to your favorite vape juice or a CBD booster shot to a shortfill e-juice. A shortfill is usually a 60ml bottle of vape juice that holds just 50ml of liquid, designed to allow for a nicotine booster shot.
Just make sure that you give the mix a really good shake so that the liquids combine properly.
The benefits of vaping CBD
There are many benefits to gained from vaping CBD, some of which I’ve outlined below.
1. No experience needed
Vaping can be something of a hobby for some people that mix and fill their own cartridges and build their own coils, but it doesn’t have to be a complicated affair. If you want to vape CBD for the first time, then it can be as easy as buying a disposable vape pen or pod, switching the device on (if it has a power button), and then immediately begin puffing away.
2. Fast-acting effects
Inhaling CBD is one of the fastest acting ways of getting your CBD into your bloodstream where it will take effect. Vaping, like smoking, allows the CBD to enter your bloodstream through thousands of capillaries inside your lungs and is second only to an IV injection when it comes to being the quickest CBD delivery method (find more about different methods of consumption here).
This makes vaping CBD a popular option for those that require instant pain relief, but people suffering from chronic pain may also benefit from longer lasting CBD delivery methods, such as edibles.
3. Easy to dose
Because the effects are so fast-acting, it’s pretty easy to find your ideal dose. Take a few puffs, see how you feel, take a few more puffs, see how you feel. As soon as you’ve reached the symptom relief or desired effects you want, then you’ve had enough!
4. Discreet
Vape pens also provide an incredibly discreet way to consume CBD. Slip the vape pen out of your pocket, take a puff, and slide it away again. Did anyone see you? Probably not. If you keep your vape pen on a low setting or hold the vapor in your lungs for a few seconds, then it’s also unlikely that using the device will even show any vapor when you exhale.
Vaping CBD is also a super low-odor option against vaping pure CBD flower in a dry herb vaporizer, which smells, tastes, and looks exactly like marijuana. If you want to vape outside work, then having a low-odor method of consumption like this can stop other people around you getting the wrong idea about what you’re doing.
For more low-odor options see Plain Jane’s odorless CBD cigarettes here.
5. Lots of flavor choice
Vaping fans would also argue that vapes offer the best flavor options as you can choose from a wide range of flavored carts that use both natural and artificial flavorings.
If you want to learn more about the beneficial effects of taking CBD, as opposed to the benefits of vaping CBD specifically, then please refer to another article I wrote entitled “Using CBD in your daily life: 5 ways you can benefit from CBD”.
The drawbacks of vaping CBD
That’s not to say that vaping CBD comes free of any drawbacks or potential side-effects. Here are the areas in which vaping falls short of other consumption methods:
1. Not very long-lasting effects
The first drawback is that while vaping may help the CBD enter your bloodstream quickly, it also exits your body quicker than other methods of consumption. This is why people that are looking for chronic symptom relief often prefer gummies or capsules for their primary dose of CBD and then use a vape or smoke a CBD joint for more immediate relief and relaxation.
2. Requires the use of a vaping device
Vaping CBD does also require you to buy your own vaping device. As a newcomer, I wouldn’t buy anything too fancy, as you’ll want to confirm that you actually like vaping before investing too much.
Unless your vaping device is disposable, then you’ll also have to remember to charge it up each day and remember to bring the charger with you when you go out.
See our top 7 list of dry herb vapes
3. Not all vape devices and juices are created equally
It’s important that you buy your vape device and liquid from a reliable vendor, as the quality between vaping devices and CBD vape oils can vary considerably.
Cheaply made vaping devices could break easily or, worse yet, dodgy electrics could make them dangerous to use.
Plus, popular additives in vape juices, such as vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol, can lead to inflammation in the lungs over time, which is why many companies are now using hemp terpenes as a thinning agent instead.
4. Some artificial flavors carry health risks
In addition to the additives found in vapes, some artificial flavors may also be harmful to you when heated and inhaled. Artificial buttery flavors, for example, have been found to cause lung injuries This discovery was made when popcorn factory workers started getting sick from exposure to the chemical diacetyl that produced the buttery-like flavor on popcorn.
Frequently asked questions
Does vaping CBD oil get you high?
Although CBD doesn’t have the ability to intoxicate you, your full-spectrum CBD oil may contain small amounts of THC, even if was extracted from hemp. Full-spectrum products do contain traces of THC, so although it’s unlikely that you’d get high off a few puffs of CBD oil, you could technically get high if you vaped enough of it.
If you want to avoid any chance of experiencing the psychoactive effects of THC, then you should choose CBD vape oils that contain CBD isolate or broad-spectrum CBD, as they will be totally THC-free.
Is vaping CBD oil safe?
Due to the unregulated market surrounding CBD, the safety of vaping CBD oil varies from product to product. Whether or not the thinning additives that are usually used in vapes (vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol) are safe to inhale is a hotly contested issue, but the largest concerns are over the potential long-term effects, especially in heavy users.
Plus, you also may face extra health risks if your vape liquid has added flavors. If safety is a major concern for you, then you can learn more about the safety of vaping CBD oil here, but at the very least, you should check that the products you buy have third-party lab tests
Third-party lab tests should confirm that the product you’re buying is free from pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents, microbials, and mycotoxins. Plus, there should be a page within the report that verifies the product’s potency.
Can I use CBD oil in my vape mod?
Yes, there’s no reason why you can’t use CBD vape oil in your vape mod. Just make sure that the CBD oil you buy is specifically made for vaping.
Do you inhale a CBD vape?
Yes, CBD vape devices heat the CBD oil to produce a vapor, which is meant to be inhaled. If you don’t inhale then the cannabinoids have no chance of finding their way to your lungs, where they can enter you bloodstream.
Summary
So, now you know how to vape CBD oil, which device do you think will be most suitable for you to get started with?
The disposable options are certainly the easiest and most convenient ways to vape CBD oil, but the reusable options are more affordable over time and provide better customization, with temperature and airflow settings, not to mention the fact that they’re much more environmentally sound.